General information for visitors and carers

Infection control

Prevention and control of infection is of paramount importance and we request that you help us in this process when visiting patients. Please ensure you wash your hands or apply the alcohol hand foam which can be found in wall dispensers on entering or leaving a ward.

If you plan to visit and are unwell or have been unwell with an infectious illness within the previous 48hrs eg diarrhoea, vomiting, cold, cough etc please refrain from doing so until you are completely recovered.

Visiting times

It is essential that our patients are allowed adequate time to rest and recuperate from illness and to allow clinical staff protected time to review patients.

Visiting times vary from ward to ward so please check with the ward you wish to visit. It is important that you adhere to set visiting times unless agreed by prior arrangement with the ward or departmental manager. Please ensure a maximum of two visitors per patient. Children are welcome on most but not all wards to visit relatives as long as they do not disturb other patients, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Visiting times and policy vary slightly from ward to ward and so to ensure you have the right information please check against the ward you are visiting.

Car parking

Parking at all three hospital sites is limited and by pay and display. Please advise anyone bringing you to the hospital or your visitors to allow plenty of time to park. Meters currently take change only.

Mobile phones

Please refrain from using your phone whilst on a ward as this may disturb other patients. In some instances also, mobile phones may interfere with sensitive clinical equipment.

Telephone enquiries about patients

It is natural for your relatives and close friends to want to know how you are.

Telephone enquires can be made directly to the ward but if you have a large family it would be helpful if you could nominate a spokesperson to phone and then cascade the information to other people, this then minimises the time that nursing staff are called away from direct patient care.

Flowers

Hospital policy on cut flowers does vary dependent on which ward/dept you are visiting. Please check the ward you are visiting before bringing flowers in for a patient.